The Departments of Veterans Affairs and Defense (DoD) just released
improvements to the functionality of eBenefits, a joint
self-service web portal that provides registered users with secure
online information and access to a variety of military and Veterans
benefits resources.

“eBenefits is clearly becoming the platform of choice for
Veterans seeking access to the numerous benefits they have earned,” said
Undersecretary for Benefits Allison A. Hickey. “The increasing
capabilities of eBenefits give Veterans and Servicemembers
greater flexibility in securing the information they are looking for.”

The latest release, eBenefits 4.3, allows for easy navigation of
the online disability compensation claim submission process using
interview-style questions and drop-down menus similar to tax-preparation
software, instead of a traditional fill-in-the-blank form. The latest
release also pre-populates the application with information from a
Veteran’s record in VA’s secure database. Veterans can view processing
times for each phase of their claim.

Other site improvements include a tool to help determine if a Veteran
has eligibility for Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment benefits, a
calculator for military reservists to determine retirement benefits, and
a search function that identifies a claimant’s appointed Veterans
service representative, with links to Google Maps indicating the
location of their nearest representative’s office. Servicemembers and
Veterans can also access records like Post-9/11 GI Bill enrollment
status, VA payment history, and DoD TRICARE health insurance status.

The eBenefits application is a key component of VA’s ongoing
transformation to a digital environment for Veterans’ benefits delivery
and fully supports VA’s Veterans Relationship Management initiative that
provides Veterans with the ability to access information about their
benefits anywhere, anytime and empowers them to manage those benefits
through self-service capabilities. Additional functionality and features
will continue to be added to the site throughout the coming months.

To access eBenefits, Veterans and Servicemembers must obtain a DoD
Self-Service Logon (DS Logon), which provides access to several Veterans
and military benefits resources using a single username and password.
The service is free and may be obtained in person at a VA Regional
Office, DoD ID Card station or online at www.ebenefits.va.gov.

There are currently 2.2 million users with access to eBenefits,
and VA is on track to meet the 2013 agency priority goal of 2.5 million
users, as outlined for VA on www.Performance.gov.
With the most-recent release, eBenefits has successfully
completed 13 consecutive quarterly releases since October 2009 with 47
self-service features enabling Servicemembers and Veterans the ability
to download copies of their official VA and military correspondence—to
include Veterans civil service preference, service verification, and
benefits verification letters; military records; and VA home loan
certificates of eligibility, just to name a few.

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